Fresh popcorn vending machine

ABSTRACT

A fresh popcorn vending machine including a timed electrical control circuit initiated by insertion of coins into the machine and including an oil solenoid valve introducing a timed volume of butter flavored oil into an electrically heated popper, a raw corn solenoid valve functioning an apertured gate to admit a timed volume of fresh corn into the popper, timed controls to electrically cook the fresh corn and oil and a plurality of electric lamp indicators which visually indicate the various stages of the machine operation.

United States Patent McDevitt et al.

[541 FRESH POPCORN VENDING MACHINE [72] Inventors: James McDevitt, 122Carlyle Drive, Palm Harbour, Fla. 33563; Victor F. Hildebrand, PO. Box3188, Clearwater, Fla. 33515 [22] Filed: Jan. 26, 1970 [21] Appl.No.:5,527

[52] U.S. Cl ..99/238.3 [51] Int. Cl. ..A23l1/18 [58] field ofSearch.....99/238.l,238.2, 238.3, 238.4,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,808,758 6/1931 Bettandorff..99/238.3

[ Feb. 15,1972

1,818,276 8/1931 Rossebo ..99/238.5 2,630,058 3/1953 Hawks ....99/238.42,907,264 10/1959 Bushway ..99/238.3

Primary ExaminerRobert W. Jenkins Attorney-Karl L. Spivak [57] ABSTRACTA fresh popcorn vending machine including a timed electrical controlcircuit initiated by insertion of coins into the machine and includingan oil solenoid valve introducing a timed volume of butter flavored oilinto an electrically heated popper, a raw corn solenoid valvefunctioning an apertured gate to admit a timed volume of fresh corn intothe popper, timed controls to electrically cook the fresh corn and oiland a plurality of electric lamp indicators which visually indicate thevarious stages of the machine operation.

10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures III/ll/IIIIIlI/I PATENTEUFEB 15 I972IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII FIG.3

INVENTOR.

JAMES MC. DEVITT VICTOR F. HILDEBRAND BY W W ATTORNEY FRESH POPCORNVENDING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present inventionrelates to a popcorn vending machine and more particularly, is directedto the type of machine capable of quickly producing fresh popcorn inresponse to the insertion of coins within the machine.

Popcorn vending machines have long been in use in locations where largenumbers of persons congregate such as theatres, auditoriurns, bowlingestablishments, sports stadiums and similar establishments. All priorart models of which we are aware dispense popcorn which has beenpreviously cooked at a central kitchen and then brought to theindividual machines for resale at the various separate locations.

All of the prior art machines are quite voluminous in size due to thevolume of previously popped corn which must be stored within the machineenclosure for resale at the site. Light bulbs or some other type ofheating element is provided with the machine to keep the popcorn warm atthe time of resale. Such devices are generally unsatisfactory in thatthe previously popped product is not adequately warmed at the time ofresale and accordingly, quickly cools by the time it is ready forconsumption. Additionally, most customers prefer popcorn to be butteredand provisions for introducing butter to the previously popped producthave always caused problems.

The prior art models are also deficient in that a large storagereservoir is required by the necessity of storing the previously poppedcorn over an extended period of time, for example one week or more.After corn has been popped for several days, it loses its fresh,refreshing flavor and assumes a rubbery consistency which is mostunsatisfactory from the consumers standpoint. Further, in busy locationswhere large volumes of popcorn may be dispensed, frequent servicing ofthe machine is necessary in order to assure a continuous supply at thelocatron.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a popcornvending machine of the type suitable for remote location andinstallation, and more particularly, is directed to the type of vendingmachine capable of storing raw corn and then freshly popping the corn inresponse to initiation of the cooking cycle by the insertion of coinswithin the machine.

In order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art popcorn vendingmachines, the present invention contemplates the use of raw corn at eachremote location, the raw corn being cooked to fresh pop corn in aminimum period of time in response to initiation of the cooking actionby the consumer. Raw corn is stored within a hopper contained in themachine which can be greatly reduced in size inasmuch as it has beenfound the ratios of volumes of raw corn to popped corn is approximatelyone to 30. Accordingly, a machine designed in accordance with thepresent disclosure can hold approximately 30 times the storage capacityof prior art models to thereby greatly reduce the service timerequirements at each machine. Additionally, in locations where a largecapacity is not a requirement, such as in waiting rooms, taverns, retailstores and similar establishments, the pop corn vending machines can begreatly reduced in size to thereby require much less floor space than inpreviously available models.

When a coin is inserted into the machine, a microswitch activates whichin turn activates relays, timing motors, solenoids and other controls toautomatically dispense a predetermined quantity of fresh raw corn andbutter flavored oil into an electrical corn popper unit. The popperheats to a predetermined temperature until a heat sensor senses thetemperature. At the time the sensor activates, the corn is fully poppedand the sensor automatically stops the cooking operation and initiatescontrol lamps to alert the user to dump the freshly popped corn into thedelivery hopper. Control lights are provided at the front of the machineto thereby indicate the various phases of the cooking cycle to theoperator. When the heat sensor terminates the popper operation, then allof the timers for solenoid operation are recycled to the initialposition ready for the start of the next coin initiated cooking cycle.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide animproved fresh pop corn vending machine of the type set forth.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel freshpop corn vending machine capable of producing freshly popped corn atremote locations.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improvedfresh pop corn vending machine of greatly reduced size.

It is a furtherobject of the present invention to provide an improvedfresh popcorn vending machine capable of producing fresh popcorn whichhas been mixed with hot buttered oil prior to dispensing.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improvedfresh popcorn vending machine that is simple in design, rugged inconstruction and trouble-free when in use.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention will be had byreferring to the following description and claims of a preferredembodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawingswherein like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views and in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of theinvention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG.1, looking in the direction of the arrows, partly broken away to showthe interior construction.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG.1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3, lookingin the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 5 is a schematic equivalent electrical circuit diagram of theapparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION Althoughspecific terms are used in the following description for the sake ofclarity, these terms are intended to refer only to the particularstructure of my invention selected for illustration in the drawings, andare not intended to define or limit the scope of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, we show in FIG. I a popcorn vendingmachine 10 including an enclosing sheet metal cabinet 12, upon the frontof which mounts the coin slide 14 and the popped corn delivery door 16.A rotatable handle 18 and circuit indicating lights 20, 80, 84, 86 mountthrough the front 24 of the cabinet 12 to facilitate operation of themachine 10 as hereinafter more fully explained.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the various components of the vendingmachine 10 are shown mounted interiorly of the sheet metal cabinet 12. Araw corn bin 26 positions near the top 28 of the machine and receives acharge of raw popcorn kernels (not shown) for gravity feed downwardlyinto the corn popper 30 through the solenoid operated gate 32. The bin26 is preferably fabricated of stainless steel sheet material in theinterests of complete sanitation and in reducing maintenance costs to aminimum.

The oil reservoir 34 stores a quantity of butter flavored oil (not show)near the top 28 of the vending machine 10 to permit gravity feed intothe corn popper 30 through the solenoid valve 36 to thereby impart adesirable buttery flavor to the corn (not shown) being cooked in thecorn popper 30. The reservoir 34 preferably is fabricated of suitablesanitary plastic or stainless steel sheet and feeds the buttery flavoredoil by gravity into the funnel 38 at the top of the corn popper 30through a length of plastic or stainless steel tubing 40 which may bebent as necessary to lead the fluid contents of the reservoir 34 intothe top of the funnel 38. By precisely timing the operation of thesolenoid valve 36, an accurately measured quantity of butter flavoredoil thus feeds to the popper funnel 38. The bottom 42 of the raw cornbin 26 is provided with a corn discharging opening 44 to permit exitingof the raw corn from the corn bin 26 to the top of the funnel 38 bygravity feed. The gate 32 bottomly overlies the bottom 42 of the cornbin and is in horizontal, sliding engagement therewith. The bottom gate32 is equipped with an opening 46 which is normally biased out ofalignment with the corn discharge opening 44 by the spring 48 whichbiases between one end 50 of the gate 32 and the interior of the machinecabinet 12. The solenoid 52 affixes to the opposite end 54 of the gate32 and when activated, transversely pulls the gate against the bias ofthe spring 48 until the gate opening 46 aligns beneath the corn binopening 44 to thus permit gravity exiting of the raw corn through thealigned openings. By precisely timing the operation of the solenoid 52,an accurately measured quantity of raw corn may thus be introduced intothe popper funnel 38 for cooking a measured amount of corn in responseto coin operation of the coin slide 14.

The corn popper 30 is preferably electrically operated and is powered bya conventional heating element of approximately 1,000 watts capacity.The top 56 of the popper 30 hinges at one location 58 on the outerperiphery thereof to permit gravity dumping of the fully popped corn(not shown) from the popper 30 into the delivery bin 60. The deliverybin 60 affixes within the cabinet 12 beneath the popper 30 and forwardlyslopes to direct delivery of the finished product at the front deliverydoor 16. A funnel 38 affixes to the upper surface of the popper top 56and widens upwardly to funnel raw corn from the corn bin 26 and butteryflavored oil from the oil reservoir 34 through the popper top opening 62for cooking within the popper. An interior, frustoconical-shaped baffle64 interiorly, peripherally affixes to the popper top 56 and is providedwith a relatively small opening 66 at the apex thereof in verticalalignment with the top opening 62. Thus, the raw corn and oil feed intothe popper 30 through the aligned funnel and baffle openings 62, 66 forcooking therein. The baffle 64 serves to prevent substantially off ofthe fully popped corn from upwardly exiting the popper 30 during thecooking cycle through the opening 66 which is sized to restrict suchleakage.

The cone-shaped inside baffle 64 connects to the hinged top 56 in amanner to permit the top and the affixed baffle to swing clear of thepopper body 30 upon completion of the cooking cycle so as not tointerfere with the dumping operation. See FIG. 2. The popper 30rotatably mounts within the vending machine by means of the front andrear shafts 68, 70 which journal through the front and rear cabinetsupported bearings 72, 74. The front shaft 68 extends through the front24 of the cabinet 12 and terminates in an affixed handle 18 which mountsupon the front of the cabinet to permit manual rotation of the popper 30upon completion of the cooking operation. As illustrated in FIG. 2, uponrotation of the handle 18, the popper 30 rotatively displaces and thepopper top 56 with the affixed funnel 38 and the interiorly affixedbaffle 64 swings clear about the hinge 58 to thereby permit dumping ofthe cooked and popped corn directly into the inclined bin 60 whichinclines forwardly to direct the popped corn toward the delivery door16. The door 16 may be fabricated of clear plastic to permit visualobservation.

The operation of the machine may best be illustrated by referring to theschematic diagram of FIG. 5 wherein an equivalent electrical operatingcircuit has been set forth. The coin receiving slide 14 initiates theaction by activating the electrical programming circuit through thetimer 76 in response to the insertion of the correct coins. In turn, thetimer 76 times out the operation of the oil solenoid 36 and the corn bingate solenoid 52 to permit measured supplies of raw corn grain andbuttery flavored oil to feed into the popper 30 through the funnel 38.The timer 76 also activates the circuit indicating light 20 to indicateto the operator that action has been initiated in response to insertionof the coins. The light 20 may be red in color and may be provided withindicia to advise that the machine cycle is in operation and thatfurther coins should not be inserted. Upon timing out the operation ofthe solenoids 36, 52, the timer 76 activates the popper heater 78 toinitiate the cooking operation. If desired, an indicator light 80 may beprovided at the front of the machine to indicate the duration of thecorn popping operation. An electrical sensor 82 terminates operation ofthe heater 78 when sufficient time has elapsed to pop all of the cornwithin the popper by sensing a predetermined heat temperature. Uponterminating the heater 78 operation, the sensor 82 activates the dumplight 84 to visually indicate to the operator that it is time to rotatethe handle 18 to thus deliver the cooked and flavored corn to thedelivery door 16 through the bin 60 for immediate consumption. When theheat sensor 82 terminates the popper operation, the sensor recycles alltimers to the initial position ready to receive the next coin operatedcycle. If desired, the sensor 82 may also be wired to activate a readylight 86 which preferably is green in color to indicate to the next userthat the machine is again ready for the next cooking cycle.

We claim:

1. In a popcorn vending machine operable in response to the insertion ofcoins, the combination of A. an enclosing cabinet B. a raw corn binmounted interiorly near the top of the cabinet,

1. said bin being provided with a bottom opening and gate meansregulating gravity raw corn flow through the said opening;

C. a popper and popper assembly mounted within the cabinet beneath thesaid corn bin, the popper assembly including i. popper rotative means,

2. a hinged top arranged to hingedly separate from the popper uponimposition of rotative forces,

3. popped corn retaining means mounted upon the said top; and

D. electrical control means regulating the operation of the said gatemeans and the said popper.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said gate means are providedwith an aperture.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein the said aperture is normally biasedout of alignment with the said bottom opening by a spring.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein a solenoid pulls the said apertureinto alignment with the said bottom opening for a timed interval inresponse to the said electrical control means.

5. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said popper rotative meansinclude a popper mounted shaft, the forward end of the shaft terminatingexteriorly of the cabinet in a handle.

6. The invention of claim 1 wherein the popped corn retaining meansinclude a baffle affixed to the said top.-

7. The invention of claim 6 wherein the baffle affixes to the undersideof the top.

8. The invention of claim 6 wherein the baffle is frustoconical inshape, the apex of which spaces away from the said top.

9. The invention of claim 1 wherein the electrical control means includea solenoid positioned to horizontally pull the said gate means.

10. The invention of claim 1 wherein the electrical control meansinclude a temperature sensor controlling the operation of the saidpopper.

1. In a popcorn vending machine operable in response to the insertion ofcoins, the combination of A. an enclosing cabinet B. a raw corn binmounted interiorly near the top of the cabinet,
 1. said bin beingprovided with a bottom opening and gate means regulating gravity rawcorn flow through the said opening; C. a popper and popper assemblymounted within the cabinet beneath the said corn bin, the popperassembly including
 1. popper rotative means,
 2. a hinged top arranged tohingedly separate from the popper upon imposition of rotative forces, 3.popped corn retaining means mounted upon the said top; and D. electricalcontrol means regulating the operation of the said gate means and thesaid popper.
 2. a hinged top arranged to hingedly separate from thepopper upon imposition of rotative forces,
 2. The invention of claim 1wherein the said gate means are provided with an aperture.
 3. Theinvention of claim 2 wherein the said aperture is normally biased out ofalignment with the said bottom opening by a spring.
 3. popped cornretaining means mounted upon the said top; and D. electrical controlmeans regulating the operation of the said gate means and the saidpopper.
 4. The invention of claim 3 wherein a solenoid pulls the saidaperture into alignment with the said bottom opening for a timedinterval in response to the said electrical control means.
 5. Theinvention of claim 1 wherein the said popper rotative means include apopper mounted shaft, the forward end of the shaft terminatingexteriorly of the cabinet in a handle.
 6. The invention of claim 1wherein the popped corn retaining means include a baffle affixed to thesaid top.
 7. The invention of claim 6 wherein the baffle affixes to theunderside of the top.
 8. The invention of claim 6 wherein the baffle isfrustoconical in shape, the apex of which spaces away from the said top.9. The invention of claim 1 wherein the electrical control means includea solenoid positioned to horizontally pull the said gate means.
 10. Theinvention of claim 1 wherein the electrical control means include atemperature sensor controlling the operation of the said popper.